Children's Book of the Month: Where the Wild Things Are

For the month of May, I decided to feature an old school book (first published in 1963) but really an all time favorite of many people including myself:



You probably already read this book and own it in your library OR used to own
it when you are younger, haha.

BUT for those who never read this book before,
it is about a boy named Max who gets in trouble for well, just being your average little boy... hahaha. Anyways, his mom sends him to bed without supper. In his room, his imagination takes over and he travels to his own little world (AKA where the wild things are). He becomes their king and goes on exploring the forest but eventually he gets lonely and homesick so he returns to his room (or comes back to reality) where he finds a warm supper waiting for him in his room.

I personally LOVE this book because I love how it portrays just how vivid and wild children's imaginations are. I also LOVE how it portrays a mother's love for her child.

Makes me think back to my own childhood and reminds me of how when I got in trouble by my mom, she NEVER failed to show me she still loved me (even when I decided to prank call the police to report a naughty little sister and had them come to our apartment.... ahahah).

Anyways!
If you're going to a baby shower or have a little child in your life, this book must be part of their book collection!!

In Summary

May's Book Recommendation: Where the Wild Things Are

Author: Maurice Sendak

Recommended for: ages 3-7 or primary grades(k,1,2,3)

A Coconut In Our Classroom

After we adopted our class pet Snowball, one of our students (I will call her Jenny) fell in LOVE and asked her parents for her own little bunny. For Christmas, Jenny's dad bought her her own little Coconut (okay, Coconut is not little by any means.... he's quite the opposite... observe below).

(I like big BUTTS and I cannot lie! Haha jk)

It was initially Jenny's idea to bring Coconut in to visit our classroom. She was very excited and could not wait. Therefore, we planned a day for Coconut to come visit our classroom and meet Snowball. Here is picture of Jenny holding her baby Coconut!
(sorry for the spooky hearts but it must be done, haha)

Anyways, we had a wonderful time meeting Coconut. Jenny got to walk around and let everybody pet him. The only problem was that our bunny Snowball isn't spayed so Coconut could only meet her behind bars... because if you know anything about bunnies... it is that they like to many lots and lots of baby bunnies.
I will end with this picture of me and my co-teacher holding Snowball & Coconut. We are a happy family. Hahaha

Who Needs Paid Vacations and Bonuses?!

When you can get personalized magnets and cupcakes! Hahaha.

After 11 GLORIOUS days off for spring break, we returned to school this week.
I must admit, I REALLY missed their sauce-stained-after-lunch faces oh so much!

First day back from a long break is usually rather awkward. The kiddies and the teachers need some time to get back in the groove of things... so there we were trying to get back into our normal routine when one of our students (let's just call her Jenny) walks up to us and hands us two little pastry boxes. Apparently, Jenny's family went to New Jersey the day before and stopped by Carlos Bakery of Cake Boss (famous from the show on TLC) so she got us two little cupcakes. I mean, of course I've had cupcakes before and honestly, these cupcakes weren't the most delicious of the cupcakes I've had in my life time BUT it was oh SOO sweet of Jenny to think about her teachers during her break. Really melted my heart!


Another student of ours (let's call him Robert) went to the Great Wolf Lodge (water park located in Pennsylvania) over the break and came back with personalized magnets for us! Hahaha. I couldn't help but giggle when he handed us our magnets! What was even sweeter is that he remembered our first names (kiddies LOVE it when you share things like that with them and they will often never forget things you tell them about yourself).



Gotta love em (kiddies, cupcakes, and personalized magnets that is)!

Stick 'Em Up!! (or into the envelope...)

Every Friday, in our (yes, our because it's me and my co-teacher's) classroom we have FUN FRIDAY. What exactly is Fun Friday? Well, it's exactly what the name suggests. We devote a period of instruction on Fridays to something different such as arts and crafts and other things we don't normally get to do during the week. Our children REALLY look forward to this time on Friday and me and my co-teacher are constantly looking for activities to do with our students. Anyways, I will share my favorite Fun Friday activity so far this year....

It all started around Valentine's day, with my co-teacher talking about the abundant amount of post its we have in our classroom. Post its are part of the 3rd grade supply list. However, over the years my co-teacher has collected a whole box of them which was sitting on top of our closet collecting dust. This is when I started to think about an activity that would incorporate post its and be worth while for our students.

We decided to have a week of "SAY SOMETHING NICE TO YOUR CLASSMATES, TEACHERS, & SNOWBALL, ON A POST IT AND STICK EM' INTO THEIR ENVELOPES." The whole idea was to write nice sayings, compliments, or notes to one another everyday for an entire week. In order to do this, we first had to create and decorate our mailboxes AKA white envelopes.

We spent a period decorating and individualizing our envelopes and designated a spot in the back of the room to hang up our mailboxes. It was really adorable how each child was able to put a little bit of him/herself on to the envelope (see below).


Now the waiting game began as we spent an entire week writing post its to one another. We allowed the students to write post its if they finished their classwork early and also at the end of the day. My co-teacher and I also got a chance to write a note to each and everyone of our twenty-five students. Each day, every child's envelope began to fill up. However, we did notice that some students were not getting as many post it notes as others so by Wednesday for homework, we assigned each student to write a note to someone they don't know very well or haven't written a note to yet. This solved the problem and by Friday, each student had collected a minimum of 6-7 notes! On the last day which was Friday, we all took our envelopes off the wall and read through our notes. Even as a teacher, I felt a rush of excitement and joy as I read through each and every one of their SWEET little notes.

In order to help preserve our notes, we gave each student a piece of red construction paper. We glued down our envelopes and post its and made a collage. Here are the finished products! We are happy to say that along with the students we thoroughly enjoyed this activity and some of the notes made me want to tear. It just showed me how much our students have grown and matured with one another and how genuine they are!


P.S. Snowball had an envelope too and needless to say, Ms. Popular Bunny Rabbit received the most notes.... her envelope almost fell off the wall... hahaha.

Children's Book Pick for the Month of April

Being a teacher, I read more children's books than adult books (I can't recall the last ADULT book I finished from front to back... but I can name a million children's books that I finished... hahaha). Therefore, I decided that every month, I will do a review/recommend some of my all time favorites! The books that I feature here may be a classic or it may be hot off the press but I hope to feature books that I think should be included in every child's library.This is a book titled,

The Next Place by Warren Hanson. I was first introduced to this book in one of my undergraduate courses. We were talking about books that would help children cope with death and loss of a loved

one. It's really a hidden treasure and explains that once we die, we go on to the next place. In the next place, there is no more hurt or suffering.... we will be in the best condition of our lives. Here is a sneak peek from the story!

The next place that I go
Will be as peaceful and familiar
As a sleepy summer Sunday
And a sweet, untroubled mind.
And yet . . .
It won't be anything like any place I've ever been. . .
Or seen. . . or even dreamed of
In the place I leave behind.
I won't know where I'm going,
And I won't know where I've been
As I tumble through the always
And look back toward the when.
I'll glide beyond the rainbows.
I'll drift above the sky.
It takes a really harmonious approach to the subject of loss and expresses death as something that brings comfort and peace.

P.S. If you appreciate really awesome book illustrations, the pictures in this book are beautiful!

In summary:

April's Recommendation: The Next Place

Author: Warren Hanson

Good for ages: 4-adults (yes, I would even give this as a gift to a friend going through hard times)

Purpose: To bring comfort to children about the subject of death, suffering, and loss.